Chapter 090

Chapter 090

Xiao She drove a mule cart to Taohuagou to pick up people, and the Zhou family had their own mule cart. These two carts brought all the luggage and food from the Tong and Zhou families.

When Tong Sui arrived at the back yard, the old man was already talking with Tong Youyu and Zhou Yuanbai, while Tong Gui was helping Xiao She unload the mules.

He Shi, Xiao Yuchan, Xiao Yan, and Liu Chu all came out to greet them one after another.

Zhou Qing advised, "It's late at night; go back to sleep. We can talk in the morning. We're all family, no need for formalities!"

Tong Sui also joined in the persuasion.

After He Shi and the others returned to their rooms, Xiao Mu asked Tong Sui, "Have you tidied up the west wing?"

Xiao Ye was in the mountains, so the west wing of the eastern courtyard was empty.

Tong Sui: "I've tidied it up. My father and his group will sleep in the north room, my mother and the others in the south room. Grandfather should also get some rest; tomorrow will be busy."

Xiao Mu nodded and asked Xiao She to help move the luggage before heading back to the central courtyard.

Tong Sui held her cousin's hand and led the way for the family.

Apart from the luggage needed for sleeping tonight and washing up in the morning, most of the bags didn't need to be moved into the rooms. Xiao She left quickly, leaving only the two families gathered in the north room of the west wing, all bright-eyed and not showing any signs of fatigue.

Zhou Qing pulled her daughter aside and whispered, "Your Fifth Younger Brother didn't explain clearly. Aman, tell us how the old man became the head of the county?"

Tong Sui briefly recounted the words of the elders from the prestigious clans and the village headman who persuaded the old man.

Zhou Yuanbai said, "The magistrate is gone, and Old Man Xiao is the most respected military talent in the county. He is indeed the best choice for this matter."

Her aunt Jiang Shi said, "The question is, can we resist the troops from the rebel king? I still think the city is not as safe as Taohuagou."

Zhou Yuanbai replied, "If the county falls, the rebel king will immediately attack Taohuagou. With winter approaching, it's better for the whole family to defend the county together and fight for a future rather than freeze in the deep mountains."

Wanting both wealth and absolute safety is unrealistic. Besides, her niece and the old man were both on the Xiao side. Could they abandon them and hide in the mountains?

Zhou Yuanbai couldn't bear to do that, nor could Tong Youyu and his wife, or Tong Gui.

Zhou Gui hugged Tong Sui tightly and said firmly, "If Sister trusts the Xiao family, then I trust the Xiao family too."

Jiang Shi laughed at her daughter's words and explained, "I'm here, so I obviously trust them. I just wanted Aman to tell us more to make everyone feel more secure."

Tong Sui said, "I know that if we can stop the rebel king, we'll be heroes protecting the entire county. The court won't hold occupying the city against us. Regardless of whether we occupy the city or not, facing the rebel king is inevitable. Occupying the city gives us a better chance of winning."

Other matters were too far off and discussing them would only cause anxiety. It was better to focus on the present.

Jiang Shi nodded, "Yes, that makes sense."

Zhou Xian said, "Alright, the decision to enter the city is settled. Everyone should get some sleep."

Zhou Gui pulled Tong Sui and asked, "Sister, will you sleep in our room tonight?"

Tong Sui smiled, "Third Madam is sleeping with me tonight. I can't leave her alone."

Zhou Gui asked, "Third Madam, the one from the prime minister's family?"

Tong Sui whispered, "She lost her family. Mentioning that title might only bring back painful memories. In the future, just call her Third Madam and don't mention those four words."

Zhou Gui quickly responded, "I understand. Don't worry, Sister."

Tong Sui patted her shoulder, glanced at her mother and aunt, and returned to the east wing.

Lin Ningfang was still awake. After Tong Sui lay down, she said enviously, "Your family is so lively, like a festival gathering."

The Lin family once had many relatives. When she was young, her elders would call her out to socialize. Although Lin Ningfang complied, she sometimes felt annoyed and preferred a quiet home.

Now, with relatives dead or scattered, those lively memories had become distant dreams.

Facing her, Tong Sui sincerely said, "You and Eldest Sister are my sisters. If you don't mind, my family is your family. We'll probably live together from now on, so there's no need for formality."

Lin Ningfang said, "Alright, I was worried about causing trouble. I'll greet Father and Mother tomorrow morning."

---

On the fourth day of the tenth month, at dawn.

The Xiao family in Lingshui Village was already bustling with activity.

Sun Xinghai brought five young men from the clan, and Qiao Changshun brought four reliable townsmen. Including Xiao Yan, Tong Gui, and Pan Dai, there were thirteen young men in total.

Xiao Mu instructed them again, "The military pay should be ready in the city. Hurry over and join Second Master; he will arrange for you to recruit soldiers throughout the county. Remember, quality over quantity. Only recruit men between eighteen and forty years old, reject those who are too weak or sick, and allow exceptions for exceptionally strong individuals. They must volunteer; no forcing the people."

Yesterday, Sun Xinghai had already emphasized these points repeatedly, and the young men had memorized them. After the old man finished speaking, Xiao Yan and the others mounted their mules and horses and headed straight for the city.

Xiao Mu then asked Sun Xinghai, "Are you really not moving to the city?"

Sun Xinghai smiled, "Your Xiao family must go. As the village headman, if I move away now, the villagers will panic. Besides, who will guard your house and fields?"

Most villagers respected the Xiao family, but there were always a few troublemakers who liked to steal.

Xiao Mu didn't refuse his offer and said, "I'll defend the city, and you'll guard the village. Don't worry about Adian and Awai; I'll treat them like my own grandsons."

Sun Xinghai replied, "Let the young ones take risks. Focus on the big picture; no need to give them special attention."

Xiao Mu said, "I can only oversee the big picture. Everything depends on the young ones. Your two boys are as trustworthy as Second Master's."

Even though Sun Xinghai knew the old man was partly reassuring him, he still felt comforted.

While the old man was making arrangements, the other families were also waking up. The men packed their belongings, and the women started cooking rice.

As the sky brightened, the Xiao family had already locked all the doors and were ready to depart.

The villagers, having received the news, came to watch. They saw that the Xiao family had neatly lined up more than ten mule-drawn carts. Apart from three carts loaded with clothing and trunks, the rest were filled with corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and other grains.

Someone curiously asked, "Thousand Commander Xiao, are you taking all your belongings to the city?"

Xiao Mu explained, "Apart from two carts for our own consumption, the rest are donations for military provisions. All the young men in the county are working together to defend the city; we can't let them fight on empty stomachs."

Upon hearing this, some villagers believed that the Xiao family did indeed plan to return to Lingshui Village, while others abandoned any thoughts of sneaking into the Xiao residence at night to search for food.

Xiao Mu bowed to the villagers, "May the imperial court send troops soon to protect us common folk. When that day comes, we will return. Farewell, everyone!"

The villagers waved goodbye, and some even had tears in their eyes.

Pan Yuerou and her mother Wang stood among the crowd. While others watched the carts loaded with grain, Pan Yuerou kept her eyes fixed on the women riding in the first cart.

The men of the Xiao family were capable, and these women would now enjoy a good life in the city.

Seeing her daughter's fixed gaze, Wang pulled her away from the crowd and started walking home, comforting her along the way: "Don't worry. Your father is going into the city today to find a house. Once he rents one, we'll move there immediately. Then we won't have anything to fear."

With savings, they could go wherever was safest.

---

Tong Sui sat in the cart, looking back at Lingshui Village as it gradually faded into the distance.

She had married into the family in early March and had lived in Lingshui Village for exactly seven months.

While she might not be entirely familiar with the entire village, she knew the three courtyards of the Xiao family so well that she could navigate them with her eyes closed. It had become her second home.

Not just Tong Sui, but also He, her daughter, Liu Chu, Lin Ningfang, and even Aunt Xiao, who joined them in Changping Town, were all looking in the direction of the Xiao family.

Zhou Qing, noticing their reluctance, tried to lighten the mood: "Look at all of you, so reluctant. It seems only I am particularly happy. I was a city girl for over a decade when I was young. I married into the village because Aman's father was handsome. Now, thanks to my son-in-law, I'm moving back to the city. Clearly, Aman has better luck than me."

He looked at Tong Youyu, who was driving the cart. The man, who had lost an eye in battle, wore an eyepatch, and his sun-tanned face showed years of hunting in the mountains. Despite this, his features still revealed a handsome youth.

Xiao Yuchan teased, "Auntie, do you think Uncle Tong was more handsome in his youth, or is my Second Brother more handsome?"

Zhou Qing replied, "Of course it's your Second Brother. All of them have those mesmerizing almond eyes that can make girls swoon."

Xiao Yuchan added, "Only Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother have almond eyes. My brother and I inherited my mother's peach blossom eyes."

She then winked at Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing quickly complimented Xiao Yuchan's beauty, adding that Xiao She, being too fierce-looking, probably didn't attract many girls with his eye shape.

The convoy moved slowly, taking two hours to reach the city gates.

At this moment, a group of people came out from the city, led by Xiao Zhen, still wearing the same cotton clothes he had worn the day before. Apart from appearing more heroic on horseback, he looked no different from how he did in the village.

Yet, Tong Sui felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

The man who shared her pillow, the husband who entwined with her every night, was planning something significant, which he never intended to share until it happened.

Xiao Zhen first greeted the elderly man in the lead cart, chatting briefly before riding over to their side.

Under the city gate, he sat tall on his horse, his narrow almond eyes exuding an imposing presence.

Tong Sui met his gaze briefly before looking away.

Xiao Zhen, for the moment, had other matters to attend to. He needed to greet his in-laws and his wife's uncle and aunt: "Uncle, I know you have a house in the city, but things might not be peaceful here soon. I've found two adjacent three-courtyard houses for our families to stay in temporarily. This way, we can support each other if anything happens. What do you and Auntie think?"

Zhou Yuanbai exchanged a glance with his wife and smiled, "Son-in-law, you've thought of everything. Let's live next to each other. Thank you for your consideration."

Xiao Zhen replied, "It's only right. If we lived too far apart, Aman would worry, and I wouldn't feel at ease either."

Everyone in the carts laughed and looked at Tong Sui.

Tong Sui couldn't help but give Xiao Zhen a sideways glance. In front of so many relatives, he insisted on saying such things.